FOREIGN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 


“ .S*jj]n5  of  tl)f  Cimfs.” 


ANNUAL  SERMON 


DEFORE  THE 


NEW-YORK  AND  BROOKLYN, 
1850. 

BY 

ERSKINE  MASON,  D.  D. 

PASTOR  OP  THE  BLEECKER  ST.  TRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH,  N.  Y. 


^ctu-llork 


PUBLISHED  BY  ALMON  MERWIN, 
150  Nassau,  cor.  of  Spruce  st. 

1850. 


§emm 


“SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES.” 


A 

SERMON 

DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE 

FOREIGN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 

OF  \ 

NEW-YORK  AND  BROOKLYN, 

IN  THE 

MERCER  STREET  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  N.  Y. , 

AFRIL  7,  1850. 

AND  REPEATED  IN  THE 

CHURCH  OF  THE  PILGRIMS,  BROOKLYN, 

APRIL  14,  1850. 


ER  SKINE  MASON,  D.  D., 

PASTOR  or  TBS  BI/EECXEK  STREET  PSESBTTERIAN  CHURCH,  N.  7. 


NEW-YORK  : 

PRINTED  BY  JOHN  A.  GRAY,  79  FULTON,  CORNER  OF  GOLD  STREET. 


' 


♦ 


* 


SERMON. 


ZECHARIAH  X.  1 (first  clause)  : 

« ASK  YE  OF  TUE  LORD  RAIN  IN  THE  TIME  OF  THE  LATTER  RAIN.” 

In  order  to  bring  out  before  you,  distinctly,  the  thought 
which  is  to  be  the  basis  of  this  discourse,  the  emphasis  of  our 
text  must  be  laid  upon  the  latter  part  of  it.  It  was  at  the 
time  of  the  latter  rain,  and  because  it  was  the  time  of  fhe  lat- 
ter rain,  that  they  were  to  ask  for  it.  There  were  two  sea- 
sons when  the  rain  was  accustomed  to  fall  in  the  land  of 
Judea.  The  one  was  the  seeding  time,  and  this  was  the  season 
of  the  “ former  rain  ” ; the  other  was  the  time  when  the  ear  was 
filling,  and  this  was  the  season  of  the  “ latter  rain.”  At  these 
two  seasons,  except  when  God  in  judgment  suspended  his 
own  laws,  the  rain  fell  with  uniform  regularity ; and  as  it  had 
been  so  from  year  to  year,  they  might  look  upon  it  as  a matter 
of  course,  brought  about  by  the  fixed  mechanism  of  nature, 
that  the  rain  would  fall  in  the  time  of  the  latter  rain  : and 
this  is  the  peculiarity  of  the  text,  that  the  fixed  certainty  of 
the  event  should  be  a strong  motive  to  pray  for  it.  And  herein 
you  perceive  the  contrast  between  the  reasonings  of  Scripture, 
and  those  of  a paralyzing  fatalism  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  a 
proud  and  boastful  philosophy  on  the  other.  When  the 
time  arrives  at  which  the  rains  fall,  according  to  the  regular 
course  of  nature,  they  will  fall  ; natural  causes  will  work  out 
their  invariable  effects,  whatever  we  may  do,  or  refrain  from 
doing.  An  event,  certain  in  itself,  whatever  may  be  the 
ground  of  its  certainty,  will  take  place  wholly  irrespective  of 
our  praying  or  doing.  So  reasons  fatalism — so  reasons  infi- 
1 


4 


“ SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES.” 

delity  ; but  so  reasons  not  the  Bible.  Here  we  have  an  ar- 
gument to  enforce  prayer  for  rain,  taken  from  the  fact  that  it 
was  the  time  when,  according  to  God’s  appointment,  the  rain 
might  be  expected ; thus  making  the  certainty  of  an  end  grow- 
ing out  of  the  Divine  arrangements,  the  grand  motive  to  labor 
and  pray  for  the  accomplishment  of  that  end.  We  do  not 
stop  here  to  enter  into  the  philosophy  of  the  Scriptures  upon 
this  point,  but  content  ourselves  with  the  mere  statement  ol 
the  principle  itself,  the  illustrations  of  which  you  can  find  upon 
almost  every  page  of  the  Bible.  Thus,  wherever  a purpose 
of  God  is  made  known,  or  a promise  revealed,  that  purpose 
or  promise  becomes  the  reason  for  prayer  and  effort,  only  as 
it  renders  certain  to  the  mind  the  end  which  it  contemplates. 
When  we  read  in  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures  those  glow- 
ing prophecies  of  coming  joy  and  triumph  to  the  house  of 
Israel,  in  which  God  seems  to  speak  of  his  fixed,  irreversible 
purpose,  we  find  appended  to  them  this  language  : “ Yet  for 
all  thil  I will  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for 
them.”  The  reason  for  the  prayer  grows  out  of  the  certainty 
which  the  Divine  purpose  establishes  of  the  event,  as  though 
no  one  would  enter  heartily  into  the  work  of  supplication,  who 
did  not  regard  the  end  prayed  for  as  fixed  beyond  all  per- 
adventure. 

Now,  I take  this  simple  Scriptural  principle  and  set  it  be- 
fore you,  as  suggesting  an  interesting  train  of  thought  to  the 
Christian  mind,  concerning  the  object,  and  our  duty  in  refer- 
ence to  it,  which  specially  demands  our  attention  this  evening. 
And  I do  it  the  more  readily,  because  whatever  may  have  been 
the  primary  application  of  the  text,  its  ultimate  reference  is 
probably  to  those  large  measures  of  influence  from  on  high, 
and  those  grand  results,  which  should  mark  the  latter  days, 
when  God  was  to  pour  out  his  Spirit  upon  all  flesh.  Looking 
upon  ourselves,  therefore,  as  living  at  the  time  of  the  “latter 
rain,”  we  intend  to  infer  from  this  fact  our  duty,  and  in  view 
of  it,  not  simply  to  estimate  the  character,  but  also  to  deter- 
mine the  weight  of  our  responsibilities. 

We  believe,  or  profess  to  believe,  that  this  world  is  to  be 
converted  unto  God  ; that  as  a result  of  the  Divine  purpose, 
fixed  and  irreversible,  the  “grace  which  reigns  through  right- 


“ SIGNS  OP  THE  TIMES.”  5 

eousness  ” is  to  triumph  over  the  ruins  of  the  apostasy  ; that 
however  many  and  great  are  to  be  the  strugglings  between  the 
conflicting  elements  of  good  and  evil,  between  light  and  dark- 
ness, the  former  shall  eventually  secure  the  ascendency  ; 
truth  shall  achieve  its  victories,  as  “ all  shall  know  the  Lord, 
from  the  least  even  unto  the  greatest,”  and  holiness  shall 
prevail,  as  “ the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  become  the 
kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ.”  We  look  at  this 
matter  with  a Christian  eye,  and  find  our  warrant  for  this 
faith  in  the  Word  of  truth.  There  are,  I will  admit,  aside 
from  the  express  statements  of  theWord  of  God,  many  consid- 
erations which  throw  an  aspect  of  great  probability  upon  this 
grand  result  which  our  faith  contemplates.  The  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  has  an  air  of  universality  about  it  which  seems 
to  indicate  that  it  was  never  destined  to  be  limited  in  its 
influence,  and  confined  to  particular  sections  of  the  human 
family.  We  see  that  it  is  the  very  thing  which  human 
nature  everywhere  needs, — if  not  the  only  thing,  yet  the 
only  thing  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge,  which  can  lift 
humanity  up  from  its  deep  degradations ; and  everywhere 
almost  throughout  the  world  we  see,  or  think  we  see,  the  work- 
ing of  influences  which  must  disenthrall  the  human  mind 
from  bondage  of  every  kind,  and  bring  it  into  “ the  liberty 
wherewith  the  gospel  makes  men  free.”  Such  considerations, 
however,  are  valuable,  not  as  constituting  a warrant  for  faith, 
but  as  cumulative  testimony  coming  in  afterward,  to  strength- 
en a faith  which  the  word  and  promise  of  the  living  God  have 
already  inspired.  There  is  no  evidence,  aside  from  the  dec- 
larations of  the  inspired  oracles,  that  we  know  of,  to  originate, 
however  much  there  may  be  to  deepen  and  confirm,  a con- 
viction of  the  regeneration  of  the  world.  There  may  be  spec- 
ulations and  surmises,  very  rational  in  their  nature  ; there 
may  be  a collation  of  facts,  which  seem  to  indicate  as  very 
probable  a great  change  coming  over  the  face  of  the  earth  ; 
but  there  is  nothing  to  put  the  nature  of  that  change  past  all 
doubt,  to  bring  the  mind  to  that  fixed  confidence  in  its  cer- 
tainty, which,  as  it  awakens  a sense  of  responsibility,  leads  to 
corresponding,  exertion.  The  element  of  all  active,  untiring 
Christian  industry,  the  source  of  that  prayer  which  has  power 


6 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


<( 


with  God,  the  mainspring  of  that  effort  which  alone  secures 
a blessing  from  on  high,  is  found  in  a simple  faith  in  the 
Divine  promise, — nowhere  else.  In  such  faith,  though  it  be 
but  as  a grain  of  mustard-seed,  there  is  more  of  that  power 
which  the  Church  of  God  needs,  and  must  have  to  accomplish 
her  purposes,  than  in  all  the  convictions  however  intelligent 
which  the  human  mind  has  ever  reached,  as  a result  of  mere 
philosophical  speculations,  or  of  inquiries  into  the  tendencies 
of  all  the  causes,  physical,  social,  or  political,  which  are  now 
at  work  in  the  world. 

If  I do  not  greatly  mistake  the  aspect  of  things,  we  need 
to  be  brought  back  to  the  simplicity  of  faith.  In  these 
latter  days,  when  throughout  the  world  nothing  is  certain  but 
change  ; when  the  human  mind  almost  everywhere  seems  to 
be  waking  up  from  the  slumber  of  centuries  ; when  the  spirit 
of  enterprise  is  putting  itself  forth  and  making  itself  felt  in 
every  direction  ; when  distant  lands  are  brought  together  in  a 
manner  which  appears  almost  to  annihilate  time  and  space  ; 
when  the  Christian  mind  of  the  world  leads  in  all  these  enter- 
prises, and  by  means  of  them  extends  its  influence  ; when 
it  is  perfectly  plain  to  every  observer  that  Christian  sentiment 
is  working  its  way,  and  that  lying  back  of  all  occasions  and 
proximate  causes,  it  is  producing  the  restlessness  and  change 
which  is  everywhere  observable  ; — there  is  great  danger  that 
we  shall  look  entirely  to  these  signs  of  the  times,  as  constitut- 
ing the  reasons  of  our  faith  in  the  speedy  triumph  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  lose  sight,  in  a great  measure,  of  the  promise  of 
God,  which  alone  can  inspire  the  confidence  which  wakens  to 
prayer  and  nerves  for  effort. 

I begin,  then,  all  my  reasonings  upon  this  subject,  with  the 
promise  of  God.  I believe  that  the  religion  of  the  gospel  shall 
triumph,  because  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it ; and 
having  fixed  my  faith  here,  then  I look  abroad  upon  the 
world,  and  study  “ the  signs  of  the  times,”  not  for  the  pur- 
pose of  speculating  upon  or  judging  of  the  probabilities  of  the 
event  itself,  but  only  to  strengthen  a faith  already  existing  and 
watch  the  movements  of  Providence  as  they  may  seem  to 
indicate  the  approach  of  the  time  when  the  promises  my  faith 
contemplates  shall  receive  their  fulfilment.  If  I saw  no  light 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


7 


u 


>> 


breaking  upon  the  dark  places  of  the  earth  ; if  I saw  nothing 
but  the  prevalence  of  a debasing  sensuality  ; if  there  were  no 
evidences  of  the  upward  working  of  the  human  mind  in  any 
direction  ; if  the  atheistic  spirit  were  rife  in  the  world,  rising 
and  assuming  vigor  and  boldness,  while  its  opposite  was 
languishing  and  putting  forth  unequivocal  evidences  of  imbe- 
cility ; if,  in  addition  to  this,  Christian  faith  had  but  little 
manly  courage  about  it,  and  distracting  influences  pervaded 
the  household  of  God,  paralyzing  its  energies  and  exhausting 
its  strength; — still  I should  believe  in  the  certain  final  triumph 
of  Christianity,  because  still  I should  find  it  written  here  upon 
this  page  of  undoubted  truth,  “ the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall 
be  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ.”  But  if,  when 
I cast  my  eye  over  the  scene  of  this  earth,  I can  see  light 
breaking  upon  the  mountains,  the  intellectual  sluggishness  of 
centuries  disturbed,  the  human  mind  everywhere  waking  up 
and  searching  for  truth  ; if,  moreover,  the  spirit  of  Christian 
faith  was  vigorous,  and  the  spirit  of  atheism  and  sensuality 
was  overpowered,  distracted,  and  divided  in  its  counsels, 
while  the  Church  of  God  was  of  one  mind  and  one  heart,  and 
that  a mind  and  heart  set  upon  the  work  before  it ; then  I 
would  bring  in  sense  and  reason  to  assist  my  faith  and  strength- 
en my  hope,  as  they  seemed  to  indicate  that  the  redemption 
of  the  world  was  drawing  nigh. 

With  regard  to  faith  in  the  promise  of  God  itself,  into 
which  all  the  reasons  for  the  certainty  of  this  world’s  conver- 
sion must  be  resolved,  let  me  remark  that  in  our  day  we  have 
the  most  decided  advantage  over  all  the  generations  which 
have  preceded  us.  I do  not  mean  by  this  to  say,  that  faith 
in  God’s  promise  is  any  more  rational  now  than  it  ever  was, 
but  that  it  is  far  more  easy  of  exercise.  We  occupy  a posi- 
tion in  the  history  of  providential  developments  far  in  ad- 
vance of  our  ancestors, — a position  which,  if  it  does  not 
furnish  stronger  reasons  for  faith,  furnishes  at  least  reasons 
for  a stronger  faith.  A series  of  successful  experiments 
in  any  department  of  science  or  the  arts,  will  render  con- 
fidence in  the  skill  and  knowledge  of  their  author,  which 
they  illustrate,  far  more  easy  than  it  should  have  been  had 
those  experiments  never  been  made,  or,  if  made,  been  unsuc- 


8 


“ SIGNS  OP  THE  TIMES.” 

cessful ; and  precisely  so,  what  has  already  been  done  in  the 
way  of  the  fulfilment  of  God’s  purpose,  will  render  it  com- 
paratively easy  to  believe  in  the  fulfilment  of  what  as  yet  * 
remains  unexecuted. 

The  great  end  which  faith  contemplates,  the  conversion  of 
this  world  to  God,  is  to  be  regarded  not  as  an  isolated  event, 
unconnected  with  anything  which  has  preceded  it,  but  as  a 
result  towards  which  everything  has  been  tending, — as  the 
full  development  of  a plan, — the  final  grand  consummation  of 
a svstem  of  arrangements  under  which  this  world  has  been 
placed.  It  was  wrapped  up  in  the  first  intimation  as  to  the 
triumph  of  the  seed  of  the  woman  over  the  seed  of  the  serpent ; 
and  as  we  now  look  back  upon  the  past,  we  can  see  that  every 
successive  step  which  God  has  taken  in  the  conduct  of  human 
affairs,  has  been  but  unfolding  more  distinctly  the  grand  idea 
of  that  intimation,  and  bearing  upon  the  result  which  is  to  turn 
it  into  a reality.  Each  of  these  successive  steps,  moreover, 
was  the  subject  matter  of  a distinct  promise,  which  received  in 
it  its  perfect  fulfilment  ; and  now  we  occupy  a point  in  the 
world’s  history,  a stage  in  providential  development,  where  we 
can  with  great  effect  bring  the  memories  of  the  past  to'  shed 
light  upon  and  give  certainty  to  the  anticipations  of  the  future. 
For  if  all  the  promises  which  God  has  made,  and  all  the  pur- 
poses he  has  revealed,  subordinate  to  the  grand  promise  and 
purpose  of  the  conversion  of  the  world,  have  been,  the  former 
fulfilled,  and  the  latter  executed  to  the  very  letter,  the  infer- 
ence is  one  not  easily  to  be  set  aside,  that  the  end  which  they 
all  contemplate  shall  be  secured  likewise.  If  God  has  moved 
forward  steaddy  to  the  accomplishment  of  his  purpose,  anil 
we  can  see  that  every  one  of  his  movements  lias  been  in  strict 
accordance  with  his  previous  declarations  ; if,  so  far  as  expe- 
rience sheds  any  light  upon  the  subject,  his  faithfulness  as 
well  as  his  power  has  been  tested,  and  put  past  all  doubt  by 
the  event,  which  in  every  case  has  verified  his  words ; then  1 
can  believe  that  he  will  continue  to  move  steadily  forward 
toward  the  result  which  all  past  dispensations  have  contem- 
plated, and  this  grand  promise,  which  has  given  meaning  to 
all  subordinate  promises,  will  be  fulfilled  likewise.  The 
Christian  man  who  turns  to  his  own  history,  and  finds  amid 


9 


“signs  of  the  times.” 

his  recorded  experiences  the  evidence  of  the  truthfulness  of 
this  written  testimony,  and  the  faithfulness  of  God  who  speaks 
* therein,  is  perfectly  satisfied  that  he  is  not  in  his  Christianity 
following  “ a cunningly  devised  fable,”  and  has  a confidence, 
than  which  none  can  be  more  rational  or  strong,  that  every 
good  word  upon  which  his  hope  fastens  shall  be  verified  by 
the  event.  And  the  Church,  as  she  looks  back  upon  the 
way  by  which  her  Lord  has  led  her,  and  sees  how  every 
word  thus  far  has  been  made  good,  and  how  all  the  dealings 
of  God  have  been  preparing  for,  and  converging  toward  one 
grand  consummation,  and  that  the  subject  of  a distinct  and 
intelligible  promise,  may  be  perfectly  confident  that  in  looking 
forward  to  the  final  triumph  of  Christianity,  as  an  event  abso- 
lutely certain,  she  is  not  indulging  in  the  rhapsodies  of  an 
over-excited,  over-tasked  imagination,  not  in  the  reveries  of  a 
visionary,  but  in  an  expectation  commended  to  the  mind  by 
its  soberness,  as  it  is  warranted  by  truth  which  centuries 
have  illustrated. 

Upon  the  promise  of  God  then,  thus  clearly  revealed  upon 
the  sacred  page,  thus  fully  illustrated  in  its  nature,  thus 
proved  so  far  as  anything  future  can  be  certain  of  fulfilment, 
I fasten  my  faith ; and  now  I can  cast  my  eye  over  the 
world,  and  look  at  the  appearances  of  things,  and  examine 
the  developments  of  Providence,  because  in  this  promise 
upon  which  my  faith  fastens  I have  a key  to  unlock  the  mys- 
teries of  God’s  dispensations,  and  the  means  of  discovering 
and  explaining  the  nature  and  bearings  of  influences  which 
are  seen  to  be  at  work,  and  events  which  are  occurring,  so 
perplexing  and  mj-sterious  to  the  man  who  never  studies 
them  in  their  relation  to  the  promise  and  purpose  of  God. 

We  cannot,  I apprehend,  look  with  any  degree  of  attention 
at  “ the  signs  of  the  times,”  in  the  light  of  revealed  truth, 
without  having  the  conviction  forced  upon  us,  that  we  are 
occupying  an  interesting  point  in  the  history  of  those  provi- 
dential developments  which  are  to  secure  the  fulfilment  of 
the  Divine  promise.  I wish  to  be  distinctly  understood  as 
placing  this  conviction  in  connection  not  with  any  mathe- 
matical calculations  of  dates,  or  years,  or  cycles  of  prophecy ; 
for  in  these,  for  one,  I have  very  little  faith,  and  regard  a de- 


10 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


u 


5) 


pendence  upon  them  not  only  as  delusive,  but  as  dangerous 
in  its  tendency.  The  man  who  trusts  to  such  arithmetical 
processes,  and  has  found  out,  beyond  all  question,  the  exact 
time  of  our  Lord’s  coming,  may  be  very  sincere  in  his  con- 
victions ; but  the  result  he  has  reached,  together  with  his  pro- 
cess of  reaching  it,  have  an  air  of  doubtfulness  thrown  over 
them  by  the  fact,  that  their  tendency  has  been  to  paralyze  all 
his  Christian  energies,  and  convert  the  practical  disciple  into 
the  mere  theoretical  speculator,  wholly  unfit  for,  as  he  is 
wholly  unconcerned  about,  the  great  work  which  his  Master 
has  given  him  to  do,  of  preaching  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture. 

The  conviction  of  which  I speak  has  an  origin  altogether 
different.  It  springs  not  from  figures,  but  from  facts, — facts 
totally  different  from  any  which  have  yet  occurred  in  this 
world’s  history,  and  yet  strikingly  significant  in  view  of  the 
past, — facts,  the  tendency  of  which  is  not  to  paralyze  but  to 
rouse  the  energies,  not  to  repress  but  to  animate  the  spirit  of 
prayer,  and  which,  carefully  studied  in  their  varied  relations 
and  bearings,  while  they  bring  us  to  the  conclusion  that  we 
are  upon  the  eve  of  great  changes,  bring  us  also  to  that  state 
of  mind  which  those  changes  demand  of  the  followers  of 
Christ,  that  they  may  meet  the  responsibilities  which  are  thus 
thrown  upon  them.  In  adverting  to  these  facts,  which  furnish 
materials  for  Christian  thought,  and  incentives  to  Christian 
action,  we  cannot  overlook  the  political  aspects  of  things, 
which  no  observing  mind  can  regard  but  as  fraught  with  the 
most  momentous  results.  The  little  cloud  which,  in  certain 
states  of  the  atmosphere,  appears  in  the  horizon,  does  not 
more  surely  to  the  practised  eye  indicate  approaching  rain, 
than  do  certain  national  movements,  certain  signs  in  the  po- 
litical hemisphere,  indicate  coming  changes.  The  “kingdom 
of  Christ  is  not”  indeed  “of  this  world  but  through  human 
management  the  things  of  that  kingdom  have  been  so  inter- 
woven in  systems  of  earthly  government,  and  religion  has 
become  to  such  an  extent  entangled  with  the  policy  of  human 
courts  and  the  stratagems  of  earthly  cabinets,  and  conse- 
quently so  fettered,  that  it  cannot  accomplish  its  purposes 
without  changes  which,  as  they  break  up  these  alliances,  the 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


11 


<( 


51 


growth  of  centuries,  must  produce  overturnings  which  seem, 
at  least  for  the  time,  to  throw  everything  into  confusion. 

To  a superficial  observer,  the  political  phenomena  which 
everywhere  arrest  the  attention  may  seem  to  be  but  the  evi- 
dence of  a spirit  of  misrule  which,  long  kept  down  by  the 
strong  hand  of  power,  is  essaying  to  break  loose  from  all  re- 
straints, and  assume  the  absolute  supremacy.  But  one  who 
looks  beneath  the  surface  of  things,  and  going  beyond  the 
proximate  motives  of  individual  action,  inquires  into  the  ulti- 
mate reasons  of  human  conduct,  will  discover  in  all  these 
movements  which  excite  astonishment  and  awaken  expecta- 
tion some  grand  Christian  ideas,  indistinctly  perceived  in 
many  cases,  yet  ideas  of  truth  struggling  for  development, 
and  endeavoring  to  shake  off  the  influences  which  have  kept 
them  down,  and  prevented  the  human  mind  from  perceiving 
their  beauty  or  feeling  their  power.  One  such  idea,  fairly 
brought  out  to  light,  puts  a people  in  advance  of  the  position 
which  they  formerly  occupied  ; not  indeed  that  it  makes  them 
any  more  Christian  than  they  were  before,  but  that  it  renders 
them  more  accessible  to  Christian  influence,  as  it  breaks  down 
barriers  and  removes  obstacles  which  before  seemed  insur- 
mountable. 

All  great  changes  in  the  world’s  past  history  have  been 
preceded  by  similar  indications.  We  think,  if  time  permitted 
us  to  do  so,  we  might  show,  from  the  most  authentic  records, 
that  not  only  has  every  advance  of  the  human  mind  been  pre- 
ceded by  distinct  intimations,  but  has  been  secured  by  means 
of  some  Christian  idea,  which,  gaining  the  ascendency,  has 
wrought  the  change.  The  worth  of  individual  man,  when 
fully  brought  out  and  distinctly  apprehended,  did  not  more 
certainly  put  an  end  to  the  feudal  system,  with  its  appendages 
of  serfdom  and  vassalage,  than  did  another  idea,  connected 
with  this  and  springing  from  it, — personal  responsibleness,  and 
of  course  the  right  of  private  judgment, — work  out  those  results 
which  astonished  the  world  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation ; 
and  in  all  these  cases  of  change  and  revolutions,  there  were 
those  who  never  lived  to  see  them,  by  whom  they  were  never- 
theless most  distinctly  anticipated. 

There  has  been  always  something  very  remarkable  in  these 


12 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


u 


preparatives  or  indications  of  changes  to  which  we  have  al- 
luded. Naturally  we  should  suppose  that  if  any  Christian 
truth  is  to  make  new  advances  in  the  world,  we  must  search 
for  the  indications  of  its  coming  triumphs  among  those  by 
whom  that  truth  has  already  been  received,  and  by  whom  it 
is  best  understood.  And  unquestionably  this  supposition  is 
correct  when  we  look  at  the  subject  in  detail,  at  revival 
and  progress  in  particular  spheres  or  places,  where  we  ne- 
cessarily build  our  hope  on  the  proximate  causes  of  progress, 
in  the  piety  and  effort  of  Christians  themselves  ; but  when  we 
look  at  things  on  a larger  scale,  and  consider  the  general 
scheme  of  Providence  in  reference  to  the  final  triumph  of 
Christianity,  it  is  very  different.  If  we  do  not  wholly  over- 
look these  proximate  causes,  we  expect  to  see  indications 
of  movement  and  change  in  other  directions.  When  a 
dark  storm-cloud  broods  over  the  earth,  we  fix  our  eye 
not  upon  the  spot  where  it  seems  to  be  the  least  heavy,  but 
where  it  seems  to  be  blackest,  for  the  first  streak  of  light 
which  indicates  a clearing.  When  the  Spirit  of  God  brooded 
over  the  dark  face  of  the  waters,  there  came  life,  and  light, 
and  order ; and  over  the  ruins  of  this  moral  creation  must  the 
same  Spirit  move  in  his  work  of  reformation,  and  in  the  dark- 
est places  of  the  earth  we  shall  see  some  of  the  first  breakings 
of  that  light  which  is  to  go  on,  constantly  increasing,  until  the 
perfect  day  of  the  Son  of  man. 

This  is  one  of  the  striking  characteristics  of  the  present 
times,  that  the  signs  of  hope  and  omens  of  promise  for  the 
Church  of  God  are  seen  in  the  darkest  places,  in  the  break- 
ing up  of  systems  which  have  stood  in  the  way  of  the  tri- 
umphs of  truth,  and  in  those  changes  which  put  the  human 
mind  in  a posture  to  receive  that  truth.  Nor  do  we  discern 
these  signs  of  the  times  solely  in  the  political  horizon, — the 
moral  firmament  is  likewise  full  of  them.  It  is  the  peculiar- 
ity of  our  age,  as  it  has  not  been  of  any  age  which  has  pre- 
ceded it,  that  every  existing  form  of  idolatry  and  superstition 
and  false  religion  seems  to  be  worn  out,  and  there  appears  to 
be  no  new  form  of  general  error  rising  up  to  take  their  place. 
It  has  never  been  so  before.  Casting  our  minds  back  over 
the  history  of  centuries,  superstitious  systems  of  idolatry  have 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


13 


(( 


had  fast  hold  upon  the  human  mind  ; or,  if  any  of  them  have 
been  shaken,  it  has  been  by  the  power  of  some  new  and 
more  vigorous  superstition,  which  has  been  ready  to  take  its 
place  and  assume  its  relinquished  dominion.  But  it  is  so  no 
longer.  The  nations  of  the  earth  are  now  brought  fully  and 
distinctly  into  view.  We  know  them  all, — what  they  are, 
what  is  their  position,  their  circumstances,  their  customs  and 
habits,  and  their  religion.  Our  knowledge  of  this  kind  is  not 
onlv  extensive  in  its  range,  but  intimate  and  particular  in  its 
character;  and  justifies  the  remark  already  made,  that  every 
form  of  superstition  and  false  religion  has  passed  its  zenith, 
and  rapidly  hastens  to  its  setting.  I do  not  know  of  any  rea- 
sonable or  plausible  exception  to  this  general  statement.  If 
there  is  one,  it  must  be  in  reference  to  Hindooism,  which  at 
the  present  time  shows  more  strength  than  any  other  form  of 
idolatrous  superstition  ; and  yet  this  system,  which  holds  en- 
slaved about  half  of  the  population  of  the  globe,  presents  to  the 
careful  observer  the  most  unequivocal  evidences  of  the  in- 
firmities of  age.  No  religion  can  maintain  an  ascendency  any 
farther  or  any  longer  than  it  maintains  its  hold  upon  the  pas- 
sions of  the  mind.  The  moment  it  ceases  to  be  a matter  of 
feeling,  and  becomes  one  of  custom,  its  days  are  numbered. 
Where  is  the  life  and  fire  and  spirit  of  Hindooism,  as  it  now  pre- 
sents itself  to  the  attention  ? What  is  there  remaining  to  sustain 
the  power  and  support  the  authority  of  the  Brahmin,  but  the 
law  of  caste  and  the  prevalence  of  a false  philosophy,  which 
are  every  day  losing  their  influence,  as  they  yield  gradually 
but  surely  to  the  superior  light  and  influence  of  Christian 
civilization  ? 

So  far  as  China?  is  concerned,  it  has  not  now,  it  has  not 
had  for  centuries,  any  religion,  as  a matter  of  the  heart ; it  is 
a thing  of  state,  or  a mere  customary  appendage  to  the  gen- 
eral economy  of  society.  It  lies  like  a corpse  reduced  to  ashes, 
which,  because  undisturbed,  may  retain  the  original  form  of 
the  body;  but  which,  when  once  touched  by  the  breath  of 
heaven,  is  scattered.  Break  up  the  civil  institutions  of  this 
wonderful  empire,  change  its  customs  and  usages, — and  the 
signs  of  this  breaking  up  and  change  are  every  year  becom- 


14 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


u 


>> 


ing  more  numerous  and  striking, — and  there  will  be  no  religion 
left. 

There  was  a time  too  when  the  false  prophet  of  Mecca 
subsidized  to  the  advancement  of  his  system  the  power  and 
intelligence  of  the  Asiatic  nations.  To  his  superior  wisdom 
and  that  of  his  successors,  Arabia,  and  Persia,  and  Asia 
yielded,  and  Islamism  triumphed  over  the  religion  of  the 
worshipers  of  the  sun  and  moon  and  stars ; but  it  has  passed 
its  manhood,  and  is  fast  verging  to  the  close  of  life.  In  its 
every  aspect,  civil,  political,  and  religious,  Mohammedanism 
seems  to  be  a worn-out  thing,  requiring  external  supports  to 
sustain  it,  and  ready  at  any  shock  to  give  up  the  ghost. 

It  is  not  much  different  with  the  gigantic  superstition  of  the 
West.  The  thunders  of  the  Vatican  are  scarcely  heard,  cer- 
tainly they  have  lost  their  power  to  terrify.  She  who  once 
put  her  foot  upon  the  necks  of  kings,  now  moves  at  the  bid- 
ding of  those  she  once  enslaved,  and  flies  for  help  to  those 
who  once  laid  their  crowns  at  her  feet.  It  is  indeed  main- 
tained in  some  quarters,  that  the  power  of  Romanism  to  ac- 
complish its  purposes  is  as  great  as  ever ; but  where  is  the 
evidence  ? A strong  and  athletic  constitution  will  generally 
in  the  hour  of  dissolution  exhibit  violent  muscular  spasms ; 
and  we  may  cheerfully  concede  that  there  is  that  about  Ro- 
manism which  predicts  a by  no  means  easy  death, — which 
seems  to  indicate  that  it  will  not  give  up  life  without  the  most 
desperate  struggles  and  throes,  world-wide  in  their  influence; 
and  there  are  now  these  very  marks  of  dissolution  about  her, 
signs  of  the  ebbing  out  of  life.  Where  is  now  the  living 
energy  of  Romanism,  as  a religious  system  ? Not  in  the 
heart!  The  region  of  the  Tiber,  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
the  Vatican,  is  not  the  seat  of  its  life  and  energy.  The  heart 
beats  but  feebly ; and  surely  you  will  not  find  its  resources 
amid  the  Italian  skepticism  of  the  north,  the  mysticism  of 
German  philosophy,  the  farcical  acting  of  France,  or  the 
licentiousness  of  more  southern  Europe  ! Where  are  its 
sources  of  vigor  and  the  elements  of  its  strength  ? And 
what  is  Romanism  now,  as  a political  system,  but  a creature 
kept  in  being  by  surrounding  powers,  for  purposes  of  state,  to 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


15 


<( 


>> 


be  certainly  dropped  and  cast  aside  the  moment  any  change 
occurs  which  will  render  her  existence  useless  ? 

And  while  all  these  false  religions  and  superstitions  are 
fast  wearing  out,  giving  evidences  of  the  infirmities  of  age 
and  omens  of  approaching  dissolution,  where  is  there  any 
one  commanding  form  of  error  which  appears  ready  to  rise 
and  take  their  place?  The  only  religion  at  the  present 
moment  in  our  world  which  has  any  signs  of  life  and  vigor 
about  it,  any  of  the  elements  of  progress,  is  the  simple 
religion  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  If  all  other 
systems  depart,  this  must  take  their  place;  for  the  human 
mind  must  have  a religion  of  some  kind,  and  nothing  but  this 
remains.  I am  aware  that  there  are  those  who,  in  view  of  the 
facts  upon  which  we  have  been  dwelling,  reach  very  differ- 
ent conclusions.  They  seem  to  consider  the  apparent  de- 
cay of  all  existing  superstitions  as  an  evidence  of  a general 
tendency  to  universal  skepticism,  and  they  predict  a turbu- 
lent, horrid  reign  of  some  grand  atheistic  system,  which  will 
sweep  away  with  one  breath,  not  only  all  that  is  false,  but 
all  that  is  true  likewise.  Such  a system  however  is  manifestly 
impossible,  because  man  can  never  get  rid  of  the  constitution 
which  God  has  given  him.  There  is  a secret  witness  for 
God  in  every  breast  which  never  can  be  destroyed,  however 
for  a time  its  testimony  may  be  suppressed  ; and  no  system 
of  Atheism  or  bald  Infidelity  has  ever  yet  in  this  world  se- 
cured anything  more  than  a very  brief  ascendency.  While 
man  remains  man,  he  must  have  a religion  of  some  kind  to 
meet  the  demands  of  his  spiritual  nature,  as  he  must  have 
nourishment  of  some  kind  to  sustain  his  physical  system. 
Atheism  can  no  more  meet  the  wants  of  the  mind  than  air  can 
sustain  animal  life.  There  can  be  therefore  no  such  thing  as 
a general  reign  of  Atheistic  terror. 

In  throwing  out  these  views,  we  do  not  wish  to  make  the 
impression  that  the  conversion  of  the  world  to  God  is  a very 
easy  enterprise.  We  do  not  mean  to  say  that  the  nations  of 
the  world  are  beginning  to  show  signs  of  a preparation  to  em- 
brace Christianity.  But,  if  we  may  look  upon  it  as  a fixed  fact 
that  this  world  is  to  be  converted,  if  the  promise  of  God’s  Word 
puts  this  matter  past  all  doubt,  then  to  the  believer  in  this  prom- 


16 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


ise  the  present  state  of  the  world  is  full  of  interest,  as  tending  to 
strengthen  faith,  give  vigor  to  hope,  and  energy  to  effort.  If  the 
gospel  is  certainly  to  triumph,  the  likelihood  of  its  triumph  is 
greater  now  than  it  ever  has  been,  because  opposing  influences 
are  becoming  weaker,  and  every  effort  we  put  forth  must  tell 
with  greater  effect,  because  the  resisting  force  is  so  much 
less.  Who  doubts  that  there  is  more  hope  of  the  triumph  of 
the  gospel  in  China  now  than  there  was  a century  since, — 
more  hope  for  Turkey  now  than  in  the  days  of  Mahomet’s 
immediate  successors, — more  hope  for  Italy  than  in  the  days 
of  Leo  X., — more  hope  for  our  Southern  continent  than  in 
the  days  of  Torquemada  ? 

I do  not  think  that  any  man  who  loves  his  Saviour,  and  the 
great  object  for  which  his  Saviour  died,  can  take  a general 
survey  of  the  world,  from  any  elevated  and  commanding 
position,  without  being  deeply  affected,  as  he  observes  the 
striking  contrast  between  the  past  and  the  present.  Let  him 
take  the  fact  that  but  little  more  than  a third  of  a century 
since,  there  was  scarcely  a spot  in  heathen  lands  where  a 
Christian  missionary  could  set  his  foot,  and  place  it  beside 
this  fact,  that  there  is  now  scarcely  a spot  where  he  may  not 
plant  the  standard  of  the  cross  ; let  him  see  how  the  strong 
intrenchments  of  heathenism  and  idolatry  and  false  religion 
have  been  giving  way  with  a rapidity  almost  incredible  ; let 
him  see  the  world,  not  in  the  light  of  prophecy  merely,  but  in 
the  light  of  fact  also,  converted  into  a field  for  Christian  effort, 
and  he  cannot  avoid  the  conviction  that  Providence  has  been 
busy  in  the  sphere  assigned  to  it,  doing  its  peculiar  and  ap- 
pointed work,  in  subserviency  to  the  great  purpose  of  the  cross 
of  Christ,  and  that  some  grand  crisis  is  near  at  hand,  as  the 
result  of  the  wonderful  changes  which  are  so  rapidly  taking 
place,  and  the  events,  so  remarkable,  which  are  crowding 
upon  each  other  in  such  quick  succession. 

I am  greatly  mistaken,  moreover,  if  there  are  not  within 
the  Church  of  Christ  itself,  certainly  within  the  range  of 
her  immediate  action  and  influence,  signs  perfectly  corre- 
spondent to  those  beyond  her  immediate  sphere,  upon  which 
we  have  been  dwelling.  It  is  a common  maxim  that 
every  particular  conjuncture  of  circumstances  has  a class 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


17 


(i 


of  men  suited  to  itself, — men  who  are  drawn  out  and  whose 
characters  are  developed  by  the  emergencies  of  the  times.  I 
believe  it  to  be  true.  Cod  usually  accomplishes  his  purposes 
through  human  agency,  and  when  he  has  a work  to  do,  he 
raises  up  instruments  fit  for  that  work.  In  accordance  with 
his  revealed  arrangements,  his  Church  is  to  be  the  great  in- 
strument for  the  conversion  of  the  world  ; and  where  there  are 
marked  providential  developments,  we  look  for  a correspond- 
ing spirit  and  line  of  action  in  the  Church.  Wc  should  have 
very  little  confidence  in  any  surmises  drawn  fiom  external 
appearances,  if  there  were  no  manifestations  of  an  internal 
according  spirit  and  movement.  Now  we  utter  nothing  but 
what  every  man  and  woman  in  Christendom  feels,  when  we 
say  that  the  present  is  a time  not  only  of  very  general  but  of 
very  sanguine  expectation  in  the  Church  of  God.  Even  the 
dreams  of  visionaries,  and  theorizers,  and  speculators,  are  not 
without  their  meaning.  As  constituting  good  grounds  or  rules 
of  action,  they  may  be  utterly  worthless,  and  dangerous  in 
their  influence  ; but  as  evincing  the  state  of  the  public  mind, 
they  are  invaluable.  The  increased  attention  to  the  study  of 
the  prophecies,  the  many  plans  of  interpretation  which  have 
been  given  to  the  world,  and  the  different  results  which  have 
been  reached,  some  of  them  I admit  very  wild  and  fanciful, 
all  mean  something, — they  indicate  at  least  a posture  of  ex- 
pectation. In  this  respect  the  state  of  things  is  precisely  such 
as  we  should  look  for  when  any  great  changes  are  to  take 
place. 

And  then  if  we  come  within  the  circle  of  sober  thought 
and  rational  movement,  we  discover  indications  no  less 
striking.  The  same  Frovidence  which  has  been  and  is  pre- 
paring the  way  for  the  triumphs  of  the  gospel,  is  also  pre- 
paring his  Church  for  the  part  she  is  to  act  in  achieving  those 
triumphs.  The  change  which  has  passed  over  the  face  of  the 
•world  is  no  greater  than  the  change  which  has  passed  over 
the  face  of  the  Church.  A missionary  spirit,  unknown  before, 
has  come  to  be  characteristic  of  the  age  in  which  we  live ; not 
indeed  that  the  spirit  of  Christ’s  people  in  this  respect  corre- 
sponds in  earnestness,  or  the  means  they  expend  in  amount,  or 
the  efforts  they  put  forth  in  energy,  to  the  obligations  which  their 
2 


18 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


<< 


99 


Master  in  his  providence  has  imposed  upon  them, — but  I am 
speaking  of  the  present  as  contrasted  with  the  past.  I take  as 
a general  illustration  the  missionary  institution  with  which 
most  of  us  are  connected.  If  forty  years  since  there  was 
scarcely  an  opening  for  missionary  effort,  there  was  at  the  same 
time  not  an  American  missionary,  nor  the  means  to  sustain 
one ; but  now  we  can  point  you  to  some  hundred  and  fifty 
ordained  missionaries,  five  hundred  laborers,  nearly  one  hun- 
dred missionary  stations,  some  seventy  Christian  churches, 
and  nearly  thirty  thousand  professed  converts  in  heathen  lands, 
the  results  of  the  missionaiy  spirit  in  one  department  or  branch 
of  the  Christian  Church.  Nor  do  we  believe  that  this  spirit 
is  becoming  weaker,  but  rather  stronger.  At  this  very  mo- 
ment there  are  more  hearts  than  ever  to  send  up  to  the  throne 
with  increasing  earnestness  the  prayer,  “ Thy  kingdom  come 
there  are  more  hands  engaged  in  the  work,  more  men  to  de- 
vote themselves  personally  to  the  enterprise  of  spreading  the 
gospel  through  the  world,  more  means  to  sustain  them  within 
our  reach.  The  influence  which  in  a short  time  has  raised 
the  resources  of  the  Board  from  one  thousand  to  a quarter  of 
a million  of  dollars  annually  has  not  become  inoperative. 
There  are  indications,  by  no  means  equivocal,  of  a new  spirit 
of  benevolence  rising  in  the  Church,  a spirit  of  self-devotement., 
a spirit  which  leads  men  to  shape  their  course  and  use  their 
means  in  reference  to  the  great  work  which  God  has  given 
his  people  to  do.  Even  in  reference  to  our  own  sphere,  the 
circle  of  our  own  Christian  relationships,  the  region  covered 
by  the  Society  whose  anniversary  we  celebrate  to-night,  a 
comparison  of  the  present  with  the  past  will  justify  all  the 
remarks  we  have  made. 

While  we  are  taking  this  view  of  our  subject,  let  us  not 
overlook  this  important  thought,  that  the  spirit  of  the  Church 
of  Christ,  in  this  respect,  is  impressing  itself  upon  the 
public  mind,  and  giving  tone  to  its  sentiment.  In  evidence, 
we  point  you  to  a rising  spirit  of  antagonism  in  the  very  quar- 
ters where  we  should  look  for  its  manifestation  when  the  power 
of  Christian  influence  is  decidedly  felt.  We  point  you  to  the 
fact  that  missionary  movements,  which  but  a few  years  since 
were  regarded  as  matters  of  very  little  moment,  are  now 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


19 


<< 


»* 


watched  with  intensest  interest ; and  the  plans  of  the  Church 
of  Godj  as  well  as  the  results  they  are  developing,  find  their 
way  into  courts  and  cabinets  and  council  chambers,  to  shape 
political  plannings,  and  give  form  to  political  movements.  It 
is  so  in  our  own  land,  it  is  so  in  the  land  of  our  ancestors ; 
and  when  we  see  the  power  of  British  and  American  influence 
everywhere  at  work,  reaching  all  nations,  inspiring  them  with 
new  ideas — when  we  see  the  probability  that  the  present  lan- 
guage of  evangelic  faith  is  to  be  the  language  of  the  world, 
we  cannot  but  hail  it  as  an  omen  of  brightest  promise,  that 
these  nations,  which  now  confessedly  take  the  lead  in  the  world, 
are  the  nations  where  a pure  faith  and  a missionary  spirit 
prevail,  and  which  themselves  feel,  in  all  their  deliberations 
and  plans  and  movements,  the  influence  of  this  aggressive 
characteristic  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

I cannot  but  think,  my  brethren,  that  in  reference  to  the 
triumphs  of  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer,  the  day  in  which  we 
live  is  one  of  intensest  interest  and  brightest  promise.  It  seems 
to  be  the  time  of  the  latter  rain,  when  we  are  called  to  an 
unusual  spirit  of  prayer  and  devotion,  and  more  than  ordinary 
eflort.  The  providence  of  God  enforces  duty  no  less  strongly 
than  die  Word  of  God  clearly  reveals  it.  If  at  all  times  there 
is  a pressure  of  responsibility  upon  the  Christian,  now  in  an 
especial  manner  ought  it  to  be  felt,  because  in  fact  it  is  in- 
creasing. It  is  strictly  conformable  to  all  the  analogies  of 
things,  that  now  a deeper  interest  should  be  taken  in  the 
work  of  Christian  missions,  leading  to  the  most  importunate 
prayer,  the  greatest  painstaking,  and  even  to  sacrifices.  Every 
object  of  hope  or  fear  increases  its  influence  upon  us  as  we 
approach  it.  The  racer  on  the  course,  as  he  draws  near  to 
the  goal  upon  which  his  eye  has  been  fixed,  and  as  the  prize 
for  which  he  is  contending  becomes  brighter  as  well  as  more 
distinct,  is  roused  and  nerved  for  almost  convulsive  effort. 
All  the  energies  of  the  human  soul  are  then  stirred  most  effec- 
tually, when  the  plans  to  which  they  have  been  devoted  are 
upon  the  eve  of  their  successful  accomplishment.  A.nd  so  now, 
when  everything  indicates  the  coming  triumphs  of  the  gospel, 
when  the  gathering  clouds  seem  to  portend  the  latter  rain, 
when  everywhere  movement  is  visible  among  opposing 


20 


“SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES." 

agencies,  but  they  are  movements  of  retreat,  and  sounds  are 
heard,  but  they  are  sounds  of  dismay, — now  should  the  Church 
of  Christ,  now  should  every  individual  Christian  feel  the 
weighty  responsibility  which  Providence  throws  upon  the 
conscience,  and  be  prepared  in  a spirit  of  Christian  faith,  and 
Christian  courage,  and  Christian  fortitude,  to  meet  and  dis- 
charge it. 

A prize  which,  when  fairly  within  the  reach,  is  not  seized, 
is  not  usually  a second  time  presented  as  an  object  of  hopeful 
effort.  Every  man  has  his  particular  work,  and  his  opportu- 
nity for  doing  it,  which,  once  lost,  never  returns.  Every  age 
has  its  appropriate  object,  and  an  appropriate  season  for  gain- 
ing it : failing  then,  it  fails  always.  I apprehend  the  analogy 
holds  good  in  spiritual  things,  and  in  reference  to  the  Church 
of  Christ. 

When  God  had  brought  the  children  of  Israel  to  the 
borders  of  the  promised  land,  and  commanded  them  to  go 
up  and  possess  it,  and  when,  alarmed  on  account  of  the  dan- 
gers before  them,  and  unmoved  by  the  exhortations  of  Caleb 
and  Joshua,  who  would  have  urged  them  forward,  they  re- 
fused to  advance,  they  had  been  put  upon  their  trial  and 
failed, — the  door  was  closed  against  them,  and  they  were 
driven  back  into  the  wilderness,  there  to  wander  till  that  en- 
tire generation  had  passed  away,  and  men  of  another  spirit 
had  arisen  to  take  their  places.  We  do  not  believe  that 
the  promise  of  God  will  fail : this  world  will  be  brought  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  the  Church  will  take  possession  of  the 
earth  in  the  name  of  her  Master ; and  it  would  seem  from 
providential  developments  as  though  Christians  of  the  present 
age  were  now  put  upon  their  trial,  and  called  to  go  up  and 
take  possession  of  their  inheritance.  We  may  fail  in  the 
trial,  not  because  we  have  not  sufficient  strength  and  sufficient 
resources,  but  because  we  have  not  sufficient  faith  and  cour- 
age. The  Christians  of  the  present  day  may  give  an  impulse 
to  the  cause  of  missions,  which  will  settle  the  question  of  the 
speedy  triumph  of  the  gospel.  If  the}'  fail,  what  can  we 
look  for  but  that  the  purposes  of  God  will  to  human  view  be 
rolled  back,  every  door  of  usefulness  now  open  be  closed, 
and  kept  closed  till  we  shall  have  passed  from  the  stage, 


SIGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 


21 


(< 


>» 


and  other  Christians,  of  more  faith,  more  prayer,  more  self- 
denying,  self-sacrificing  effort,  shall  rise  up  to  carry  on  the 
work  of  God  ? And  when  the  opportunity  shall  have  passed 
away,  and  our  unfaithfulness  shall  re-act  upon  ourselves  in 
the  spiritual  mildew  and  blight  which  shall  rest  upon  every- 
thing around  us,  we  shall  have  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophetic 
malediction  : “ Curse  ye  Meroz,  curse  ye  bitterly  the  inhabi- 
tants thereof,  because  they  came  not  up  to  the  help  of  the 
Lord,  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty.” 


Hfjwrt  of  tl jc  Sfcrctori). 


Another  year,  the  twenty-third  in  the  history  of  this  Society,  has 
passed.  By  the  favoring  providence  of  God  no  removal  has  been  made 
among  its  officers  or  managers  by  death  or  any  other  cause.  The  usual 
yearly  income  has  been  realized,  ns  will  be  seen  by  the  annexed  report  of 
the  Treasurer.  The  average  of  receipts  for  the  last  ten  years  has  been 
$12,064  94.  The  receipts  during  the  past  year  have  been  $14,217  58, 
showing  an  increase  of  $2,152  64. 

The  monthly  meetings  for  prayer  and  conference  have  been  regularly 
held,  and  the  attendance  upon  them  has  not  materially  varied  from  that 
of  former  years. 

It  does  not  fall  within  the  proper  sphere  of  this  report  to  present  a 
statement  in  detail  of  the  condition  of  particular  missionary  stations  or 
churches.  There  are  no  missionaries  in  the  field  sent  out  under  our 
auspices,  nor  are  there  any  stations  to  which  the  funds  raised  by  this 
Society  are  exclusively  appropriated  ; and  our  incentives  to  exertion  are 
to  be  found  in  our  sympathy  with  the  whole  missionary  enterprise. 

As  a Society  we  hold  a subordinate  relation  to  the  parent  institution  ; 
but  among  the  many  auxiliary  associations  like  our  own,  we  think  we 
stand  in  a position  which  not  only  attracts  attention  to  our  example,  but 
which  gives  great  power  to  it.  The  amount  of  funds  raised,  the  number 
of  churches  connected  with  us,  and  the  important  locality  we  occupy, 
constitute  the  reason  for  the  distinction  we  have  named.  But  if  this  dis- 
tinction properly  belongs  to  us,  then  our  duties  are  also  peculiar,  and  our 
influence  must  necessarily  be  great.  The  tone  of  the  missionary  spirit 
among  us  must  give  character  to  that  of  other  similar  organizations.  If 
this  Society  should  realize  its  responsibilities,  should  receive  from  above 
a new  baptism,  and  develop  its  very  great  resources,  as  the  law  of  the 
missionary  work  laid  down  in  the  New  Testament  requires,  beyond  a 
question  the  effect  would  be  to  stimulate  and  enlarge  the  ability  of  kin- 
dred societies.  But  if  Christians  in  the  focus  of  missionary  enterprise, 
with  ample  means,  and  with  the  best  advantages  to  form  a judgment  of 
the  wants  of  the  world,  hold  up  no  ensign,  raise  no  cry  of  warning,  make 
no  exertions  commensurate  with  the  grandeur  or  the  exigencies  of  the 
object,  give  no  impulse  to  the  whole  Church  by  their  sacrifices  and  ever- 
enlarging  gifts,  both  of  laborers  and  of  money, — if  this  is  our  yearly  his- 
tory, surely  we  ought  not  to  be  surprised  at  the  laggard  spirit  which  seems 


24 


REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY. 


to  possess  the  churches  generally  on  this  subject.  Our  position  imposes 
obligations  upon  us,  blindness  to  which  is  not  only  a sin  and  a shame  to 
ourselves,  but  it  must  also  inflict  a deep  injury  on  the  whole  cause. 

The  providence  of  God,  as  connected  with  the  world’s  evangelization, 
is  in  advance  of  our  practical  views  and  feelings ; and  while  our  churches 
hold  about  the  same  relative  position  to  the  cause  that  they  did  twelve 
years  ago,  the  movements  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  missionary  field 
have  carried  the  operations  of  the  Board  beyond  both  our  liberality  and 
our  prayers,  so  that  even  now  another  embarrassing  debt  is  likely  to  be 
reported  at  the  close  of  the  financial  year  of  the  Parent  Society ; and 
unless  a change  in  the  spirit  of  the  churches  be  speedily  effected,  disas- 
ters which  are  now  only  in  the  imagination  of  many,  will  in  a very  few 
years  be  realities. 

There  are  two  or  three  questions  which  the  friends  of  the  American 
Board  ought  solemnly  to  consider  and  decisively  to  answer.  We  have 
not  the  space  in  which  fully  to  discuss  them, — we  can  barely  state  them  ; 
but  we  trust  they  will  be  duly  pondered  by  the  members  of  this  Society. 

Can  the  American  Board  maintain  a fixed  position,  neither  advancing 
nor  retrograding,  neither  enlarging  nor  restricting  its  operations  ? If,  as 
some  imagine,  it  has  reached  the  maximum  of  its  yearly  receipts,  can  it 
retain  the  same  standard  in  coming  years  ? To  us  it  appears  evident, 
that  if  such  is  to  be  the  policy  of  the  Board — and  such  it  must  be,  if  the 
idea  prevails  that  the  limit  of  receipts  has  been  reached — then  they  are 
to  undertake  a task  from  which  angels  would  shrink : they  are  to  sustain 
a policy  unsupported  by  the  spirit  of  the  age,  by  the  example  of  a single 
sister  Society  in  the  land,  by  the  prophecies  of  the  Bible,  by  the  promises 
of  Christ,  by  the  providences  of  God,  by  the  movements  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  We  know  of  nothing  in  nature,  in  grace,  in  reason,  or  in  Scrip- 
ture, that  would  justify  the  Board  in  the  attempt  to  maintain  such  a 
policy.  We  see  not  how  they  could  undertake  it;  for  they  have  no 
power  over  the  Holy  Spirit  to  restrain  his  blessings  either  from  the 
missionary  stations  or  from  the  churches  at  home,  nor  can  they  resist 
the  providences  of  God  urging  forward  this  work.  What  would  such  a 
course  be  but  to  fight  against  God  ? 

And  if  this  stationary  policy  cannot  be  carried  out,  shall  a fluctuating 
standard  of  operations  be  assumed,  a standard  that  vnries  from  year  to 
year,  according  to  which  they  shall  expand  or  contract  their  arrange- 
ments ? Shall  the  minds  of  the  Prudential  Committee  be  distracted,  and 
their  hearts  rent,  by  statedly  planning  for  the  prevention  of  an  increase 
of  blessing  abroad,  by  the  dismemberment  of  mission  stations,  the  wiih- 
drawal  or  the  withholding  of  missionaries  from  fields  that  imperatively 
demand  them,  the  disbanding  of  schools,  or  the  ruin  of  whole  stations? 
What  a work  is  this  to  impose  upon  men  who  have  been  baptized  with 
the  spirit  of  Christ,  appointed  to  superintend  the  work  of  American  mis- 
sions in  this  land  and  this  age  of  the  world  ! 

And  if  neither  a fixed  nor  a fluctuating  standard  can  be  maintained, 
shall  there  be  a retrograde  movement  in  the  operations  of  the  Board  ? Is 


REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY. 


25 


thero  an  intelligent  child  6f  God,  a true  lover  of  Christ  and  his  cause, 
who  would  advise  or  even  suggest  such  a thing?  Are  there  any  who 
think  that  the  Board  have  been  too  forward  or  rapid  in  their  operations, 
and  in  advance  of  the  providence  of  God,  and  therefore  should  not  only 
abstain  from  enlargement,  but  should  nt  once  retrench  their  expenditures 
nnd  restrict  their  pluns  of  operations?  We  cannot  think  that  there  are 
any  such,  nnd  we  stny  not  to  reason  the  point. 

We  come  then  to  the  lust  question  proposed.  Can  and  ought  the 
American  Board  to  bo  sustained  in  plans  corresponding  to  the  spiritual 
growth  and  necessities  of  the  missionary  stntions,  and  with  the  palpable 
intimations  of  Divine  Providence  ? This  undoubtedly  is  a very  serious 
inquiry ; but  the  answer  to  it  is,  in  our  judgment,  exceedingly  plain.  We 
take  it,  that  the  Divine,  unalterable  laic  in  the  missionary  enterprise  is  that 
of  Progress.  We  are  abundantly  taught  in  the  Scriptures, — by  the 
solemn  oath  of  God,  by  prophecies,  by  parables,  by  commands  to  the 
Church, — that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  a spreading,  augmenting  king- 
dom, which  at  length  is  to  fill  the  whole  earth ; and  all  our  plans  and 
views  and  hopes,  in  behalf  of  this  cause,  must  be  in  consistency  with 
this  great  and  glorious  truth.  Any  other  law  than  that  which  God  has 
thus  enacted  in  his  Word,  is  unknown  to  the  Church.  As  we  have  seeu,  a 
principle  that  forbids  further  development  and  enlargement,  or  that 
requires  restriction  and  retrenchment,  is  not,  cannot  be  of  God.  Such  a 
policy  may  be  necessitated  by  the  apathy  and  wickedness  of  the  Church, 
but  it  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  archives  of  the  kingdom  of  nature  or  of 
grace.  No  body  of  men,  therefore,  having  the  management  of  this  work, 
ought  to  be  guided  by  any  other  principle,  as  the  law  of  their  actions, 
than  this  fundamental  principle  of  progress.  Nothing  but  the  stubborn 
rule  of  a cruel  and  sinful  necessity,  brought  to  bear  upon  them  by  the 
unbelief  of  the  Church,  should  induce  them  to  swerve  from  it.  They 
have  a right  to  assume  that  they  are  doing  the  will  of  God,  when  planning 
and  acting  in  accordance  with  this  law  of  advancement. 

The  question  of  obedience  to  this  law  of  the  kingdom  of  grace,  or  to 
that  of  a cruel  and  stringent  necessity,  is  one  which  we  conceive  must 
at  the  present  time  weigh  oppressively  upon  the  minds  of  the  Prudential 
Committee  and  the  members  of  the  Board.  Planning  and  acting  for 
coming  ages  and  a dying  race,  and  representing  so  large  a part  of  the 
Church  of  Christ,  we  do  not  wonder  that  they  regard  this  cause  with  the 
eye  of  faith,  and  with  the  heart  of  hope.  We  cannot  but  honor  them 
for  believing,  and  acting  upon  the  belief,  that  the  cause  will  be  extricated 
from  its  embarrassments,  and  be  nobly  progressive  in  the  future. 

But  the  responsibility  of  the  final  answer  to  this  question  does  not  rest 
with  the  Board,  but  with  the  auxiliary  Societies,  with  the  churches,  and  the 
individual  members  composing  them  ; and  in  some  way  or  other,  it  must 
be  brought  home  to  these  individual  hearts  and  consciences.  If  this  is 
not  done — if  the  churches  still  refuse  to  go  forward — then,  so  far  as  we 
can  see,  the  noble  faith  and  noble  plans  of  the  Board  must  be  disappointed 


26 


REPORT  OF  THE  SECRETARY. 


If  the  views  presented  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  Report,  in  regard  to  the 
position  and  influence  of  this  Society,  are  correct,  this  is  a question 
which  we  pre-eminently  should  ponder  and  answer. 

As  a Society,  feeling  this  responsibility,  it  behooves  us  to  use  every 
practicable  means  to  secure  the  more  enlarged,  systematic,  and  general  co- 
operation of  the  members  of  the  churches  connected  with  this  Society. 
There  is  reason  to  suppose  that  less  than  one  half  of  the  communicants 
in  our  churches  contribute  anything  to  this  cause. 

We  do  not  suggest  any  plan  to  be  adopted  for  securing  this  object. 
We  have  merely  endeavored  to  present  some  of  the  considerations  which 
should  induce  the  Society  to  act,  and  to  act  efficiently,  in  the  impending 
emergency  of  the  cause  of  missions ; and  may  God  guide  and  succeed 
us  in  our  efforts. 

THOMAS  H.  SKINNER,  Jb.,  Corresponding  Secretary. 


Hfcrij)t5  of  tljf  Sorirti) 


The  following  statement,  prepared  by  the  Treasurer,  exhibits  the  receipts  of  the 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  New-York  and  Brooklyn,  from  its  organization  in 
1827:— 


From  1827  to  April,  1836,  (nine  years,) 

$86,931  28 

For  the  year  ending  April,  1837,  ... 

- 19,068  72 

U 

u 

“ 1838, 

11,196  53 

“ 

u 

March,  1839,  ... 

- 12,433  07 

« 

M 

April,  1840,  - - , - 

10,131  33 

“ 

March,  1841,  ... 

- 11,721  17 

M 

U 

April,  1842,  ... 

15,937  73 

« 

M 

“ 1843, 

- 10,432  42 

M 

U 

“ 1844, 

14,018  10 

U 

M 

“ 1846, 

* 11,974  88 

- 

U 

“ 1846, 

10,426  10 

« 

U 

March,  1847,  ... 

9,867  69 

ft 

U 

“ 1848, 

11,834  70 

U 

M 

April,  1849,  ... 

- 19,636  66 

m 

4i 

“ 1850, 

14,217  68 

Total 

in  twenty -three  years,  ... 

- $269,725  76 

New-York,  April  6 th,  1860. 


J.  W.  TRACY,  Treasurer. 


CONSTITUTION 

OF  THE 

FOREIGN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  OF  NEW- YORK  & BROOKLYN, 


AD  XI  LI  ART  TO  THE 

American  3Soar»  of  Commissioners  for  JForrign  ^Sissions. 


ADOPTED  JULY  1st,  1 850. 


ARTICLE  I. 

This  Society  shall  be  composed  of  the  members  of  the  several  churches  and 
Foreign  Missionary  Associations  of  New- York  and  Brooklyn,  and  of  others  who 
may  make  payments  directly  to  its  Treasury ; and  shall  be  called  the  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society  of  New-York  and  Brooklyn,  auxiliary  to  the  American  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions. 

ARTICLE  II. 

The  objects  of  this  Society  shall  be  to  disseminate  missionary  intelligence,  and  to 
raise  funds  in  aid  of  the  missions  under  the  care  of  the  Parent  Society. 

. ARTICLE  III. 

The  officers  of  the  Society  shall  be  a President,  four  Vice  Presidents,  a Corre 
sponding  Secretary,  a Recording  Secretary,  a Treasurer,  and  two  Directors  from 
each  of  the  churches  which  contribute  regularly  to  its  Treasury;  who  together 
shall  constitute  the  Board  of  Managers,  any  seven  of  whom  slvall  form  a quorum 
for  the  transaction  of  business.  The  pastor  of  each  church  co-operating  shall  be 
ex  officio  a Vice  President  and  member  of  the  Board. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

The  President,  or  in  his  absence  or  inability  to  act,  one  of  the  Vice  Presidents, 
shall  preside  at  every  meeting  of  the  Society  and  of  the  Board  ; the  Secretaries  shall 
discharge  the  duties  usually  devolving  on  tlwse  officers ; the  Treasurer  shall  receive 
all  funds  contributed  to  the  Society,  and  after  deducting  incidental  expenses,  shall 
pay  over  the  same  from  time  to  time  to  the  Treasurer,  or  duly  authorized  agent  of 
the  Parent  Society,  and  make  a report  at  the  annual  meeting. 


CONSTITUTION,  AC. 


29 


ARTICLE  V. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Board  of  Managers  to  procure  the  circulation  of  mis- 
sionary intelligence,  and  by  all  appropriate  means  to  awaken  interest,  and  elicit 
prayer  and  action  in  the  churches,  in  behalf  of  the  cause  of  missions. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Directors  in  each  church  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  en- 
list all  the  members  of  the  church  and  congregation  in  the  missionary  work,  and  to 
take  measures,  if  practicable,  to  secure  systematic  and  regular  contributions  to  the 
funds  of  this  Society,  from  their  respective  churches  and  Sabbath-schools. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

The  Board  of  Managers  shall  appoint  from  their  number  annually  three  Stand- 
ing Committees,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  advise  and  consult  with  the  Board  of 
Managers,  and  particularly  with  the  Directors  in  each  of  the  churches,  as  to  the  most 
efficient  mode  of  promoting  the  objects  of  this  Society  in  their  respective  churches. 
One  of  these  Committees  shall  attend  to  this  duty  in  the  churches  cast,  another  in 
the  churches  west  of  Broadway,  to  14th  street,  and  thence  west  of  the  4th  Avenue, 
in  the  city  of  New-York,  and  the  other  in  the  churches  in  the  cities  of  Brooklyn  and 
Williamsburg.  These  Committees  shall  report  their  proceedings  to  the  Board  from 
time  to  time,  at  their  discretion,  or  when  required  to  do  so ; and  it  shall  be  their  duty 
to  consider  and  suggest  to  the  Board  any  measures  that  may  occur  to  them  by  which 
to  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  Society,  and  augment  its  receipts. 

ARTICLE  VIEL 

The  Society  shall  hold  a meeting  for  prayer,  and  to  receive  and  impart  mission- 
ary intelligence,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  first  Monday  in  each  month,  at  such  time 
and  place  as  shall  be  fixed  by  the  Board  of  Managers. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

The  Board  of  Managers  shall  hold  quarterly  meetings  in  each  year,  on  the  first 
Monday  of  January,  April,  July,  and  October.  Special  meetings  of  the  Board  may 
be  called  at  any  time  by  the  President  and  Secretaries. 

ARTICLE  X. 

The  Society  shall  hold  an  annual  meeting  at  such  time  and  place  as  they  shall 
apppoint. 

ARTICLE  XL 

The  officers  of  the  Society  shall  be  elected  at  the  first  monthly  meeting  after  the 
annual  meeting. 


&HSS1  ®I?  ®!FIF2®3aS 


FOR  THE  TEAR  1850. 


PRESIDENT. 
JASPER  CORNING. 


VICE  PRESIDENTS. 

ANSON  G.  PHELPS.  I JOHN  A.  DAVENPORT, 

WILLIAM  C.  GILLMAN,  | DAVID  HOADLEY. 


CORRESPONDING  SECRETARY. 
Rev.  THOMAS  H.  SKINNER,  Jr. 


RECORDING  SECRETARY. 
ALMON  MERWIN. 

TREASURER. 

J.  W.  TRACY. 


DIRECTORS. 


Allen  street  Presbyterian  Church,.... 
Bleecker  street  “ “ .... 

Brainerd  “ “ 

Brick  “ “ 

Broadway  Tabernacle  “ 

Central  Presbyterian  “ .... 

Church  of  the  Puritans, 

Duane  street  Presbyterian  Church,.. .. 
Eastern  Congregational  “ .... 

Eleventh  Presbyterian  “ .... 

Hammond  st.  Congregational  “ .... 

Harlem  Presbyterian  “ .... 

Houston  street  “ “ 

Mercer  street  “ “ .... 

Pearl  street  “ “ .... 

Presb.  Church  on  University  Place,... 


M.  T.  Hewit,  Edward  Cilapin. 

Charles  N.  Talbot,  Alfred  C.  Post. 
Joseph  Brewster,  Wm.  A.  Booth. 

A.  L.  Ely,  H.  Holden. 

S.  Pitts,  W.  G.  West. 

Winthrop  S.  Gilman,  Stephen  M.  Chester 
0.  E.  Wood,  John  Wilet. 

C.  E.  Pierson,  Wm.  Walker. 

Stephen  Cutter,  Lewis  Chichester. 

J.  E.  Marshall,  E.  B.  Littell. 

Tredwell  Ketohum,  Jeremiah  Baker. 

E.  Ketchum,  James  Riker,  Jr. 

E.  H.  Burger,  Wm.  R Little. 

J.  B.  Sheffield,  Anson  G.  Phelps,  Jr. 
Hugh  Airman,  F.  H.  Bartholomew. 

J.  K.  Myers,  H.  K.  Bull. 


LIST  OF  OFFICERS. 


31 


Sixth  street  Presbyterian  Church 
Seventh  “ “ 

Spring  street  “ “ 

Tenth 

Thirteenth  street  “ “ 

West 


W.  E.  Dodge,  B.  B.  Atterddry. 
Alexander  Milne,  James  H.  White. 

R.  H.  Noydine,  James  O.  Barber. 

J.  F.  Joy,  L.  E.  Jackson. 

J.  N.  Danforth,  Dan  Knight. 

A.  D.  F.  Randolph,  Abraham  L.  Earls. 


Bedford  Cong.  Church,  Brooklyn 

Bridge  st.  “ “ “ 

Central  Presbyterian  Church,  Brooklyn, 
Clinton  Ave.  Cong.  “ “ 

Church  of  the  Pilgrims,  “ 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  “ 

Plymouth  “ “ 

Second  Presbyterian  “ “ 

South  “ 

Third 


D.  0.  Caulkins,  Edward  T.  Goodall. 
H.  W.  Ripley,  Thomas  M.  Sother. 
Charles  C.  Mudge,  Jno.  Morris. 

S.  Davenport,  Mark  EL  Newman. 
Charles  J.  Stedman,  G.  C.  Bdrnap. 
Alfred  Edwards,  Henry  Redfield. 

J.  Tasker  Howard,  H.  C.  Bowen. 
Erastds  O.  Tompkins,  Charles  Clarks. 
Jno.  Rankin,  Walter  S.  Griffith. 

W.  W.  Hurlbut,  Joseph  Howard. 


First  Presb.  Church,  Williamsburg,...  Paul  J.  Fish. 


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